Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1887-09-29
PRESIDENT cLEvE-<-5s
RECORD.

Under this caption the "Grand Army
Gasere and National GHdrdsmanr, pub
lished in New York, land now in the
18th year of its existenee) has in the
August number a remarkable editorial
article, which we here reproduce in full
It deserves to be carefully read and con-
sidered by all fair-minded persons.
The Gdzette does not sympathize with
indiscriminats attacks made upon the
President of the United States. While IN
that position he represents before the ioortd
the great american Republic, and his honor
aAd dignity should be as dear 10 ,is as our
own. That he has made mistakes is
probable, for he is human, and that en-
tails liability to err. But that he has
erred wilfully and knowingly we do not
believe, and he has been charged with
many things which the facts do not sus-
tain.
For instance, it has been loudly pro-
claimed that Mr.. Cleveland is hostile to
the old soldiers, and has lost no oppor-
tunity to oppose legislation in their be-
half. Let us look at the facts in the case
and see II this sweeping assertion is
founded on truth.
An investigation of the pension legis-
lation for the past seventeen years shows
that General Grant, from 1870 to 1877 in
elusive, . period of eight years, approved
4S5 private pension acts; President
Hayes, from 1877 to 1881, inclusive, a
period of four years, approved 3O3 pri-
vate pension acts; Presidents Garfield
and Arthur, from 1882 to 1885, inclusive,
period of four years, approved 736 pri-
yate pension acts; Dhae President CIeue-
land, from 1886 to 1887, inclusive, period
of only tpo years, has approved 1858 privatt
pension acts.
This Is n more than President Grant and
Hayes approved in IL years, and l27 more
than Presidents Garfield and arthur ap-
proved iIa 4 gears.
On the other hand the President has
vetoed 1913 private pension bills and the
dependent pension bill. In the former
he undoubtedly acted in conformity
with his duty as it appeared to him from
the testi.n ony and documents submitted
to him, and his reto Of The depeIaden' peiasior
bill auas s1o,cn TO be IN accord Uith the pre-.
ponderGttilg sentiment, not only of the coura
try at large, but efuse tstera,ss themselves
But there is other evidence OF the
Presidents friendly attitude towards
Union soldiers. He has appointed NOR
reterdns to Office than any other President
To be sure, some old soldiers and salon
Of an opposite political faith have beer
removed from office, but the fact remain
that more geterans are 10. day holding offcid
position under tte Government than at an!
previous portion O our history.
The President also approved the bill
increasing the pension Of widows, minor
and dependent relatives; the act in
creasing in large number of cases th'
pensions of ma med and crippled sol
diers and the act giving q pension to th'
survivors Of the war with Mexico, anc
the widows Of deceased soldiers who tool
part in that struggle.
In view of these facts, and of the add
tional one, that ,aeuer before, IN spite Of h
rapidly increasing death rate, was there 8
large number Of pensioners upon the roll
of the Pension Bureau as nosr, is it no
about time to call halt and ask tht
blatant demagogues who are making
these unfounde attacks to take bacl
seat2 In the end those who make us
of such mendacious methods will surel
be the sufferers, for the American peopl
is too intelligent AMI too foRl Of fai
play to be long made the victims Of sucl
barefaced deception.